20 Cruises’ Arvia followed at the start of the 2023 financial year and will soon be followed by Seabourn’s second expedition, Seabourn Pursuit. And a further two ships – Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Jubilee and Cunard’s Queen Anne – will begin sailing in late 2023 and early 2024, respectively. According to Weinstein, each vessel offers a platform for innovation. “Whenever we build a new ship, it gives us an opportunity to evaluate our existing product and identify opportunities to further elevate the guest experience,” he says. “Often, this will involve brands reimagining signature venues, updating colour palettes, making guest accommodation more luxurious, or upgrading the dining, entertainment and other venues.” Arvia, for example, is the biggest cruise ship to ever be built for both P&O Cruises and the UK market, which has enabled the brand to introduce multiple new indoor and outdoor spaces. Three of the most notable new innovations include the brand’s first high ropes course; an immersive, multimedia escape room; and SkyDome, a two-level pool and entertainment area on the top deck, which is covered by a retractable glass roof. “Arvia has a similar design aesthetic and general layout to sister ship Iona [which debuted in 2021] but has a staggering number of dining venues, bars and entertainment spaces in comparison,” says Weinstein. “These venues enable P&O Cruises to offer guests new experiences, as well as a lot more choice when it comes to onboard activities. Plus, the additional outdoor spaces help them to make the most of the warm, sunny weather during the ship’s Caribbean and Mediterranean sailings.” Several of these new ships are also helping Carnival Corporation move closer to achieving its environmental sustainability goals. AIDAcosma, Arvia, Carnival Celebration and Costa Toscana all run on LNG fuel. “We took a leap of faith with LNG back in 2012 when we decided to invest in it long before any of the infrastructure had been built, and in 2018, we debuted the world’s first ship that could be fully powered by LNG fuel both at sea and in port,” says Weinstein. “Today we have eight LNG-fuelled vessels operating across several brands and will have a total of 11 by the end of 2025, representing nearly 20 per cent of our total capacity.” LNG-powered vessels are part of Carnival Corporation’s extensive strategy to help it achieve the new sustainability goals it set in late 2021. By 2030, the company aims to reduce carbon intensity by 20 per cent (relative to a 2019 baseline), halve absolute particulate matter air emissions by 50 per cent (compared to a 2015 baseline), equip 60 per cent of its fleet with shore power connections, halve food waste, install advanced wastewater treatment Many of the ships across Carnival Corporation’s brands are now equipped to connect to shore power to reduce their emissions whilst in ports Photo: ROSTOCK_PORT_Nordlicht KEYNOTE “ Every guest can find something they like when they’re sailing onboard one of the amazing cruise ships”
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